October 30, 2012

Yes. My writings on this blog are a bit random. Maybe I can get into the rhythm again? Perhaps not (my moods to blame!). Yea! Someday.

I am weird.

For now, let´s see what brings me here this time ;)

My daughter´s school is having a Halloween party this week and I committed myself to make something for the bake sale. To be sincere, this is our first Halloween party while living in Finland and I had no clue of what people eat there. The only thing I was sure is that there would be tons of cupcakes and tray bakes (bringing more’d be definitely boring!).

I decided for size-wise mini cheesecakes. No fuzz for cutting slices and just perfect to carry easily to the party.

BUT IT IS HALLOWEEN! Hello?

hmm… the decoration! Oh gosh, cupcakes are so much nicer to decorate with spooky touches! After brainstorming (uh, you certainly don’t want to see me doing that. Hubs says I have lightning clouds on top of my head. Every time) I came to an idea when I thought about the bilberry sauce that goes with the cheesecakes. Hmmm… yummy blood clots (eeeek)… topped with eyeballs. Just enough creepy!

Finely crush the biscuits in a strong freezer plastic bag. Add the melted butter to the biscuit crumbs and “knead” until well combined. Note that you can use the plastic as a mixing vessel (no dirty dishes yet!). Alternatively, use a food processor to crush the biscuits and mix the butter.

Divide the crust mixture evenly among cases pressing firmly down with your finger or the back of a spoon. Set the pans aside while making the filling.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar in an electric mixer until it gets smooth and creamy. Don´t overdo it otherwise you will incorporate too much air into the mixture and it will “puff” in the oven. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add lemon juice and cream and mix again.

Pour the filling evenly among cases.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before storing in the fridge.

Cheesecakes are ready to serve when they are completely set and cold.

Making the “eyes”:

Simply draw/paint the white candy balls with the edible pens to depict eyes (green/blue for the iris and red for the arteries/veins) . For the pupil I used a tiny ball made with black marzipan, mostly because my black edible pen ended (*lol*)

Horrific? Eye popping! (yuck)

Before taking the cheesecakes to the school I added about one teaspoon of bilberry jam to each cheesecake and decorated with one toffee “eye”.

Happy Halloween!

This post was written by karaimame exclusively for Acquiring Taste. All writing, images and other materials in this blog remain the property of Acquiring Taste and cannot be used without permission.

October 29, 2010

I remember watching Japanese animations with my sister when I was small. They weren’t normally broadcasted on tv but we watched recorded tapes my dad borrowed from a friend that could have access to Japanese tv programs.

At that time, satellite and cable Tvs were way out of reality and my parents couldn’t watch any Japanese tv show if not in that way.

So, my sister and I would put the (Sony) Betamax on (wow! Does anyone remember that?) and watch Doraemon, ﻿Obake no Q-tarō, Gegege no kitaro (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎) and Sazae-san, among others.

Obake no Q-tarō is originally a manga, made by same creators of Doraemon (Fujiko Fujio). Obake means some sort of “apparition”, can take any form, like a ghost for example.

This bento was actually made in the same day of the “Boos” bentos I posted yesterday. I was thinking about Halloween, boos, ghosts and Q-tarō came to my mind. I think he is so cute and thought he deserved a bento form and a separate post ^_^.

October 28, 2010

I couldn’t resist to make a Halloween theme bento. I’ve been having so much fun seeing many of my bento friends making them I also decided to give it a go. ^_^

We don’t celebrate Halloween in Finland. At least not officially. The habit came some years ago (maybe because of some “trend”) and it is possible to see some Halloween decorations and costumes being sold at shops.

Anyways, kids asking candies on Oct. 31 is rare. There is an equivalent celebration on the Sunday before Easter, when girls dress like witches and go, door to door, offering their “spell” using decorated flowering shoots of pussy willow. They wish health and prosperity and we shall pay them back with money or candies.

My girls, for some reason, know the existence of Halloween. Every time they see a Jack o´Lantern they inform me it is for the “Haalow weeen” (<trying to write the way they pronounce it ^_^). “And what else we have in Halloween?” “scary things. BOO”

:D. I hope not totally out of the theme, there are “Boos” from the Super Mario game series and Jack o´lanterns.

I was so happy when I found the Romanesco broccoli at the market last time! Very lucky .. the same day we watched the TED video of Mr. Benoit Mandelbrot about fractals, in his homage. (Oh yes, we are nerds)